Combined coupler head and buffer



April H. E. VAN DORN 1,752,764

COMBINED COUPLER HEAD AND BUFFER Filed Sept. 21, 1928 2 Sheets-Shet 1 p i 1930. H. E. VAN DORN V 1,752,754

COMBINED COUPLER HEAD AND BUFFER I Filedsept. 21, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. .1, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HERBERT E. VAN BORN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR '10 WILLIAM E. VAN BORN, F IASADENA, CALIFORNIA coMBINEncoUPLEn HEAD AND BUF ER Application filed September 21, 1928. Serial No. 367,491;

\Vhen couplers of the J anney type are coupled together the connection is a loose one,

. p permitting free relative'longitudinal, lateral and rocking movements between the couplers. The object of the present invention is to provide couplers of this type with means to hold them normally with their longitudinal axes horizontal and disposed in the same vertical plane and with the knuckles pulling against each other, while permitting the couplers to yield and adjust themselves to the varying conditions encountered in service.

The various features of novelty whereby my invention is characterized will hereinafter be pointed out with particularity in the claim; but, for a full understanding of my invention-and of its objects and advantages, reference may be had to the following de-' tailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of two coupler heads, arranged in accordance with the present invention, engaged with each other; Fig. 2 is a front view of one of the heads; Fig. 8 is a view of one of the heads partly in side elevation and partly in section;'Fig. 4: is a view partly in plan and partly in section of a modified form of coupler head; Fig. 5 is a front view of the head shown in Fig. 4; and Fig. 6 is a view of the head shown in Figs. 4 and 5', partly in elevation and partly in section.

Referring toFig; 1 of the drawings, 1, 1 represents two coupler heads of the J anney type provided with swinging knuckles 2,, 2 adapted to interlock with each other. Each head has on one side a transverse wing 3 and on the other side a buffer adapted .to abut against the wing on the cooperating coupler when the two couplers are engaged. The two couplers are alike.

As. best shown in Fig. 2, the wing has a length or height almost equal to the vertical thickness of the coupler head, so as to provide a bearing face that is long and wide. The buffer consists of a plate 4 lying in front of a bracket 5 on the side ofthe coupler head, the plate being preferably as long or high as the wing on the opposite side, but being somewhat narrower. The plate is supported from the bracket in such amanner that it will be i held against considerable vertical or lateral movements but is able to move longitudinally; suitable spring means being provided to press the plate forward so as to hold-it firmly in contact with the opposed wing on the cooperating coupler when two couplers are interlocked. In the arrangement shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the buffer plate is supported on the front ends of two parallel. longitudinal rods .6 arranged one above the other; the front end of each rod being flattened, as indi-' cated at 7 and fitting between ears 8 on the plate. Pivot pins 9 are passed transversely through the ears and the corresponding rods. The bracket 5 has a vertical transverse web 10 provided with openings 11 sha ed to fit the flattened portions of the rods. T 'erefore the rods may move lengthwise through the web but are held'against turning about their long axes. Behind the web is a housing-12 provided with a vertical rear wall 13. The rods extend through the wall 13 and are provided on their projecting ends with nuts 14. Around each rod, withinv the housing, is a compression spring 15, the rear end of which bears against the wall 13, while the front end 7 is engaged by a follower plate 16 engaged with the shoulder formed by the rear end of the flattened portion of the rod. The springs are placed in position under initial compression, so that, through the followers, they force the rods forward until the nuts strike the wall 13. When two couplers come together, the buffers strike the wings and are driven back somewhat, as shown in Fig. 1, further compressing the springs. Thesprings are then tending con-' stantly to force the buffers 7 forward, thus taking up any slack between the knuckles and causing the working faces of the knuckles to be held pressed against each other. Because of the broad bearing surfaces between the buffer plates and the wings, the heads are held againstdropping down and the longitudinal axes of the couplers are held in horizontal positions. When turning curves, the buf-' fers yield sufficiently to permit the couplers to follow the curve; but, as soon as a straight portion of track is entered upon, the buffers again force the couplers into alignment with each other. In other words, the effect is that of a tight-lock coupling, except that the couplers are permitted to adjust themselves as occasion demands. Sometimes one coupler head will be somewhat lower than the other. However, because .of the deep bearings between the buffers and the wings, the buffers will act eifectiv'ely to keep the couplershorizontal and withtheir longitudinal axesjin the same vertical plane and to take the slack out of the coupling connection, justas though the coupler heads were at the same level.

In Figs. 4 to 6 I have illustrated a modification The coupler head 20 has on one side a wing 3 and on the other side a bracket 21 similar to the bracket 5. The buffer plate 22 lies in front of the bracket and has two stems 23 and 24 extending rearwardly therefrom through the bracket. The bracket contains two chambers25 and 26 open at the front ends and closed at the rear ends, through which chambers the stems extend. In each chamber, surrounding the corresponding stem,is a spring 27. Two forms of stems are shown. The stem 23 is simply a long bolt passing through the buffer plate and through a boss or hub 28 projecting rearwardly from the latter. The corresponding spring abuts against the rear end of the hub or boss at the front end, and against the rear wall of the chamber25 atthe rear end. The stem 24, onthe 'otherhand, isintegral withor fixed to the buffer plate and the spring projects forwardly .farenough to engage with the rear face of the plate. In the one instance the hub or boss servesas a centering device for the corresponding stem, while on the other form the spring serves as a centering device.

In all three formsof'the invention there is more orless flexibility in the mounting of the buffer plate, so that it can adjust itself so as to have a firm bearing on the wing or abutment of the cooperating coupler.

From an inspection of Figs. 1 and 3 it will be seen that the bufier plate normally stands away from the frontendof the bracket la distance greater than that between the front end of the kuckle on an opposing coupler and the cooperating wall of the head on which the plate ismounted, after coupling. Consequently, when the parts are otherwise properly proportioned, severe shocks will be absorbed by the knuckles and the coupler 1heads,instead.of by the buffers, and the danger of breakingof the lateral extensions is avoided.

The effect of the improved attachments is much the same as that resulting from the use of springibuifers on passenger cars, keeping .the slack out of the coupling connection. However, because the buffers are applied directly to the couplers, they possess advantages over the platform buffers of passenger cars in that they tend to'hold the coupler heads up and otherwise hold them more effectively in alignment. Moreover, platform buifers cannot be made long enough to remain in contact with each other when the couplers are mounted to swing laterally through a large angle and therefore will not serve to keep the slack out of the coupling connection in all positions of the couplers as do my improved buffer devices.

While I have illustrated and described with particularity only a single preferred form ofmy invention, having a stationary buffer plate and a movable one, with a few modifications, I do not desire to be limited to the exact structural details thus illustrated and described; but intend to cover all forms and arrangements which come within the definitions of my invention constituting the appended claim.

I claim In combination, a coupler of the swinging knuckle type having on one side a wide deep wing whose front face lies in a vertical transverse plane and extends approximately equal distances above :and below a horizontal plane containing the central longitudinal axis of the coupler,-a buffer element on the other side ofthecoupler comprising a wide deep vertical plate extending transversely of the coupler andsubstantially equal distances above andFbelow'said horizontal plane containing thelongitudi-nal axis of the coupler, a bracket on the coupler behind said plate, parallel stems extending between the plate and said bracket and permitting the plate to move backward and forward, one of said stems being above and the other being below the lastmentioned plane, and compression springs lying behind the plate and between the same and the bracket.

In testimony whereof, I sign this specification.

HERBERT E. VAN DORN. 

